Teen sued after crashing car while using Snapchat filter

[pixy0stix]

kdvr.com/2016/04/28/teen-being-sued-after-crashing-car-while-allegedly-using-snapchats-speed-filter/

ATLANTA -- Snapchat has a filter that lets people share how fast they're traveling while they take selfies.

A car accident victim is blaming the filter for a crash that left him with traumatic brain injuries, according to a lawsuit.

The plaintiff, Wentworth Maynard, was merging onto a four-lane highway outside of Atlanta when his car was struck "so violently it shot across the left lane into the left embankment," his lawyers contend.

Christal McGee was allegedly driving the car that struck him. The lawsuit says that she was on her phone trying to use the Snapchat speed filter at the time of the accident.

"McGee wanted to post an image of herself going fast. She argued that she was, 'Just trying to get the car to 100 miles per hour to post it on Snapchat.'" the victim's lawyers say.

A passenger in McGee's car said she had hit 113 mph on the Snapchat filter, they added. When the cars hit, the speed was 107 mph, according to the complaint. The speed limit was 55 mph.

"While [she] was distracted and on her phone, McGee did not notice that a gray Mitsubishi, driven by Maynard Wentworth, had pulled out onto the road," the complaint says.

McGee, who was also injured in the accident, apparently also took a Snapchat while she was in the ambulance, on a gurney, with blood on her face.



"Lucky to be alive" was the caption.

Maynard and his wife are suing McGee and Snapchat to pay for the medical bills. Maynard spent five weeks in intensive care for severe traumatic brain injury treatments.

He needs a walker or wheelchair to get around and cannot work. He was an Uber driver at the time of the accident last year.

The lawsuit also alleges Snapchat has been aware of previous accidents caused by using the app while driving at high speeds, and yet the company chose not to remove the speed filter.

"This is a product liability case because Snapchat put something very dangerous in the marketplace without any warnings or safeguards, and basically said, whatever happens, happens," attorney T. Shane Peagler said in a statement.

A Snapchat spokesman said he could not comment on a pending lawsuit, but added the app has always included a warning not to use it while driving.

[berrysweet]

That Snapchat photo in the ambulance makes me want to punch her right in the face. Rage.

[TR]

Apr 28, 2016 14:46:06 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

McGee, who was also injured in the accident, apparently also took a Snapchat while she was in the ambulance, on a gurney, with blood on her face.



"Lucky to be alive" was the caption.

I fucking can't. I just.fucking.can't.

[MauMau]

I think snapchat does a shit job at expressing how stupid it is to use your phone while driving. There is a daily local story that I'm constantly reporting videos of people driving while snapping. These shouldn't even be showing up in the public live feeds they could easily be censored by snapchat.

However, the driver is at fault for this accident and not snapchat.

[elleblue]

She should be brought up on criminal charges imho.

[pixy0stix]

Apr 28, 2016 14:57:09 GMT -5 MauMau said:

However, the driver is at fault for this accident and not snapchat.

Except they have a feature on their ap that is known to cause accidents. Doesn't this make them at fault once they are notified about what is happening?

[jeaniebueller]

OMG, that is terrible.

[MauMau]

Apr 28, 2016 15:03:30 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Apr 28, 2016 14:57:09 GMT -5 MauMau said:

However, the driver is at fault for this accident and not snapchat.

Except they have a feature on their ap that is known to cause accidents. Doesn't this make them at fault once they are notified about what is happening?

Perhaps. But doesn't really release her from being at fault. It's still distracted driving?

Snapchat is stupid for not locking this down ages ago. I'm pretty sure whatever Jenner girl it is. Also loves to snap and drive. Along with a few MLB players I did follow but promptly unfollowed after wanting to smack them for driving while using there phone.

[pixy0stix]

Apr 28, 2016 15:07:48 GMT -5 MauMau said:

Apr 28, 2016 15:03:30 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Except they have a feature on their ap that is known to cause accidents. Doesn't this make them at fault once they are notified about what is happening?

Perhaps. But doesn't really release her from being at fault. It's still distracted driving?

Of course it's still her fault, but snapchat created a filter that you need to be driving in order to use.

[MauMau]

Apr 28, 2016 15:12:24 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Apr 28, 2016 15:07:48 GMT -5 MauMau said:

Perhaps. But doesn't really release her from being at fault. It's still distracted driving?

Of course it's still her fault, but snapchat created a filter that you need to be driving in order to use.

Yes, with the idea that the passenger would use it. But of course that's not the reality. Snapchat should of definitively seen this coming. Surprised it wasn't sooner.

[maddysmum]

What a fucking moron. Seriously. She could have killed some one. Many some ones. Parents, children, brothers, sister, husbands, wives. Real, actual humans. Not social media "friends".

And why does Snapchat have a feature that records your speed while Snapchatting? Frankly, I think there's plenty of blame in this case to spread a little that way, too.

[bowies]

Why does this even exist? Wouldn't its sole purpose be for texting and driving?

[bowies]

Apr 28, 2016 14:59:53 GMT -5 elleblue said:

She should be brought up on criminal charges imho.

Agreed. I know in some jurisdictions doing 107 mph in a 55 mph zone would make that automatic.

[saz]

Team Snapchat. I don't think they should be guilty, I think the idiot who was using a phone AND driving at dangerous speeds is guilty. And the ambulance snap is just further evidence she's an idiot. It isn't to say that Snapchat may want to remove that feature but I will be annoyed if they are forced to due to a lawsuit or face consequences for the way people use their app.

[NewOrleans]

I don't know anything about it, but if I had to guess, I would think the filter was MEANT for being on roller coasters, being a passenger when you're going for an amazing ride like in a luxury sportscar, etc.

[WanderingWinoZ]

ok so her case is stupid.

But the Waze app is intended to be used by drivers & it requires quite a bit of interaction, especially if you want to "tag" slow traffic or cops or crashes. You do have to tap a warning box that says you are a passenger & not the driver if it detects teh vehicle is in motion.

[ttt]

I'd like to hear from the legal peeps on this, but I definitely see a case against Snapchat for providing something they KNOW encourages dangerous behavior and not doing anything to mitigate the risks of it.

[pixy0stix]

Apr 28, 2016 15:32:58 GMT -5 WanderingWinoZ said:

ok so her case is stupid.

But the Waze app is intended to be used by drivers & it requires quite a bit of interaction, especially if you want to "tag" slow traffic or cops or crashes. You do have to tap a warning box that says you are a passenger & not the driver if it detects teh vehicle is in motion.

The waze app is on my list, too. Pretty much anything that demands a diver's attention on the phone while driving should be banned.

[Deleted]

Apr 28, 2016 15:12:24 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Apr 28, 2016 15:07:48 GMT -5 MauMau said:

Perhaps. But doesn't really release her from being at fault. It's still distracted driving?

Of course it's still her fault, but snapchat created a filter that you need to be driving in order to use.

Actually it'll gauge your speed while walking.
Though of course in a self-focused app, you'll be using it while doing something, and having the filter is just asking for someone to show off speed.

A few weeks ago I was swiping through filters, and that one suddenly had a PopUp saying, Don't Snap and Drive. Haven't seen it since though.

[MauMau]

Apr 28, 2016 17:16:30 GMT -5 @nofucksgiven said:

Apr 28, 2016 15:12:24 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Of course it's still her fault, but snapchat created a filter that you need to be driving in order to use.

Actually it'll gauge your speed while walking.
Though of course in a self-focused app, you'll be using it while doing something, and having the filter is just asking for someone to show off speed.

A few weeks ago I was swiping through filters, and that one suddenly had a PopUp saying, Don't Snap and Drive. Haven't seen it since though.

It was a one day filter. And that day I reported two people driving while snapping on the Chicago snapstory. Those were the only two I could tell for sure there were a few questionable ones.

I think I even tweeted snapchat. That what's the point of this filter if you don't police the live public stories.

[wawa]

Apr 29, 2016 6:33:16 GMT -5 @mx said:

Apr 28, 2016 15:35:48 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

The waze app is on my list, too. Pretty much anything that demands a diver's attention on the phone while driving should be banned.

Most of the people who almost kill me these days appear to be using Waze. I hate that app.

I've never used Waze - i thought it was just a navigation app that used user GPS data feedback to update their maps.  I didn't realize they expect you to tell the app things you see.  Because lord knows that the thing that every gaper delay REALLY needs is people pulling out their phone to update waze that there's an accident.  Because secondary rear-end accidents in congestion aren't at all a huge and annoying problem.  Nooooooo.

[cookiemdough]

I don't even know what all this is.

[darnkatz]

Snapchat and Waze need to be taken out.

In general, I think phones should somehow have a sensor that shuts them down in a car. I am so goddamn sick of almost being hit by some selfish asshole on their phone.

[thejackpot]

The driver is disgusting, to do this and cause an accident and continue while in the ambulance is just the worse. I hope the criminal charges are numerous and the penalty harsh.

[miniroller]

Apr 29, 2016 7:52:44 GMT -5 thejackpot said:

The driver is disgusting, to do this and cause an accident and continue while in the ambulance is just the worse. I hope the criminal charges are numerous and the penalty harsh.

Her guilt & regret aren't exactly shining through, huh? I hate to wish harm on others, but I kinda wanted to make that neck brace a little more necessary

[calamity]

Driving 113 in in 55? Jesus.

The girl is an idiot and she needs to have further legal ramifications.

[darnkatz]

I want to find this dumbass and smack her upside the head. I am feeling serious rage at her complete lack of disregard for human life.

[Deleted]

I needed to come back to say that girl deserves the full weight of consequences to kick her in the ass. Jesus, you're not so important on social media that your viewers need to share your every moment, especially after you (stupid driver chic) destroyed a person's life.

[ttt]

Apr 29, 2016 8:18:15 GMT -5 @nofucksgiven said:

I needed to come back to say that girl deserves the full weight of consequences to kick her in the ass. Jesus, you're not so important on social media that your viewers need to share your every moment, especially after you (stupid driver chic) destroyed a person's life.

You know, this is the thing about social media that gets me - it's this sense of importance, like it's just assumed that people actually care about what you look like today, what you had for breakfast, what you're doing right this minute, like you're some kind of fascinating celebrity that the world is clamoring for information about. 

Am I wrong? I mean, do kids these days really want to know what their friends are doing at every second of the day? Is there really a demand for this kind of information? Are they like "Hey Madisyn, you haven't shared a selfie today! Please show us what you look like in your car ASAP!!! We really want to see how you styled your hair today!"? 

I know, I am hopelessly old 

[Deleted]

Apr 29, 2016 8:24:43 GMT -5 ttt said:

Apr 29, 2016 8:18:15 GMT -5 @nofucksgiven said:

I needed to come back to say that girl deserves the full weight of consequences to kick her in the ass. Jesus, you're not so important on social media that your viewers need to share your every moment, especially after you (stupid driver chic) destroyed a person's life.

You know, this is the thing about social media that gets me - it's this sense of importance, like it's just assumed that people actually care about what you look like today, what you had for breakfast, what you're doing right this minute, like you're some kind of fascinating celebrity that the world is clamoring for information about. 

Am I wrong? I mean, do kids these days really want to know what their friends are doing at every second of the day? Is there really a demand for this kind of information? Are they like "Hey Madisyn, you haven't shared a selfie today! Please show us what you look like in your car ASAP!!! We really want to see how you styled your hair today!"? 

I know, I am hopelessly old 

I think it's a chance - albeit a very small one - that somehow what they share will make them famous. They've seen stars like Bieber escalate to worldwide fame from sharing vids on YouTube - "why can't that be me? I just need to share my life and that alone will make my life of riches and fame!" I mean, look at the fucking Kardashians and other reality shows - that's where their reality is. They want to be the next star-for-doing-nothing.